Chief Minister Siddaramaiah assured the Assembly Tuesday that the government would deal with the sand scarcity problem at the earliest and bring down prices with a week.

In reply to a question by BJP member Govinda M Karjol, who blamed the government for the hampered construction work across the state, he said in view of the shortage of natural sand, seven artificial sand manufacturers had been permitted to supplement supply.

The green slag produced as a byproduct in the steel industry could be used as an alternative to river sand, Siddaramaiah said. Collectors of nine districts, including Mysore, Mandya and Chamarajnagar, have been instructed to immediately facilitate transport of 1,800 sand lorries to Bangalore.

The government will ensure the common man will get sand at affordable rates, the Chief Minister said. “We are ready to take action against the use of filter sand,” he said.